A Moment of Weakness
by djayman
Summary: a small account before Tenenabaum met Jack, how a moment of weakness changed everything.
1. Chapter 1

**A Moment of Weakness**

Chapter 1:

"Tenenbaum, tonic experiment 47" she spoke into her recorder "Given the current state of Rapture and Atlas' goons taking to robbing everyone and thing for ADAM, this tonic will hopefully restore the Little Sisters".

She paused a moment. Only a few years ago she had thought of them nothing as an experiment, a means to an end. _How did this happen?_ She thought _When did I start to have a heart?_

"Bridgette?" a man called, his footsteps getting louder.

"One moment!" she shouted, pocketing the recorder and removing the tonic from the desk. A little girl on a small bed in the corner of the room stirred.

"Come one Bridgette" the man was knocking on the door very loudly.

"One moment damn it!" Tenenbaum slipped the tonic into her desk facing the bed, then locked the draw.

She quickly walked over to the door and unlocked it. A middle aged man wearing plain clothes strode in. He had an authoritive look and several scars down his face, despite this appearance he was actually a good friend. A former assistant in fact.

"Phillip" Tenenbaum sighed "I wish you would say it was you" she walked back over to the desk and removed the tonic.

"Figured you'd be able to tell from my voice by now" he grinned. He then looked over to the bed "Did it work?"

"How do I know? Haven't used it yet" Tenenbaum walked over to the girl and kneeled at her side.

Tenenbaum ran her hand through the girl's hair with a worried expression. She had already been troubled when the splicers attacked at New Year's, and when Ryan had started splicing his own people Tenenbaum's anxiety grew. Suchong didn't care about the girls' safety but he did care about the cost. The sea slugs were difficult to catch and a lot of effort went into conditioning the girls.

"Little one" she whispered softly "Wake up now". The girl groaned then sat up.

Her eyes still made Tenenbaum shiver, the dead glow making her seem like a monster rather than a girl.

"Is it time Mama Tenenbaum?" the girl suddenly brightened up "Can I go to Mr Bubbles?"

Her chest tightened "No Debbie, not just yet" she held up the tonic "I want you to try this".

Debbie's shoulders slumped "More medicine?"

"Yes dear" she pressed it to the girl's hand and removed the top "For me".

Debbie huffed but obliged, taking the tonic grudgingly. She took a sip then tried to put it back into Tenenbaum's hand.

"No" she said sternly pushing the hand back "Drink all of it".

With a defeated look Debbie tilted her head back and tipped the tonic to her lips, draining it.

_Mein Gott, let this work_ Tenenbaum silently prayed. Another odd trait she had started. Phillip moved forward placing his hand on her shoulder, gripping it hard. Debbie sat there for a minute just staring back at them.

Suddenly her veins became more visible, the tonic cleary coursing through them. Debbie started groaning, looking about to faint. The veins across her body grew brighter and she fell forward.

Tenenbaum moved forward "Debbie!".

Debbie coughed violently. Tenenbaum shuffled back as the girl coughed up the remains of the sea slug. Phillip gasped quietly.

"It worked" he whispered.

"The ADAM has been completely purged from her system a long with the slug!" Tenenbaum cried triumphantly.

"Mama Tenenbaum?" Debbie looked back up. Her eyes were now a dark brown.

"Yes little one?"

"Can I see Mr Bubbles now? I drank the medicine" she said shyly.

Tenenbaum was about to say not yet when Phillip answered "In a few minutes. Will go find him".

Debbie cheered while Tenenbaum looked mortified. _We can't let her go! I still have to remove the mental conditioning_ she pulled Phillip aside to say this.

He raised his hand "I know she's still thinking like a little sister but Suchong thinks we've just been trying to make her more durable. Besides the Big Daddy can lead us to other girls"

"I don't like the risk!" Tenenbaum hissed.

"Any better ideas then love? Coz frankly we are running out of options" he argued.

Tenenbaum moved to the doorway and looked at Debbie. The girl had picked up a teddy bear and was dangling her feet over the bed. She had probably done this with her family. Like the other girls Tenenbaum put out there.

"Very well."

Debbie was skipping happily infront of Tenenbaum and Phillip, humming softly to herself. Phillip was glancing around, listening for any sounds that could be a splicer or one of Ryan's over-zealous fanatics. Tenenbaum clicked her revolver and looked around the halls of Rapture.

They were in one of the apartment sections, Sapphire Sights. Tenenbaum had found Debbie near here crying at the side of a Big Daddy. From what she could tell the Big Daddy was dead and had taken the splicer with it. Debbie had been adamant that she was wrong, but Tenenbaum could be just as stubborn.

"Not far now!" she called out.

"Hush little one!" Tenenbaum rushed over "We must be quiet or the bad men who hurt Mr Bubbles will show up".

Debbie immediately looked tearful and scared, but nodded anyway. Tenenbaum smiled and kept her hand on her Debbie's shoulder. They continued through the disturbingly empty apartments for a while, everyone was gathering in different parts of Rapture. To get plasmids or to feel safe, sometimes it was same thing.

_Why am I doing this?_ Tenenbaum thought to herself _Some innate need to stab Fontaine in his dead back? To satisfy my concsience? _Debbie looked back again and gave a big smile to show she was brave _Or was Debbie just a moment of weakness? A freak occurence and nothing more?_.

"Okie-dokie" Debbie whispered and pointed over to the axis of the apartments. Sure enough a Big Daddy was lumbering around making his soft moaning sounds. Debbie seemed estatic and ran over.

"Debbie no!" Phillip shouted out and ran after her, Tenenbaum at his heels.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Mr B! Mr B!" Debbie called as softly as she could.

The Big Daddy groaned in recognition of the girl's voice, it turned and lumbered towards her. Debbie picked up speed and ran into the Big Daddy's arms, or rather arm.

Phillip and Tenenbaum halted a few paces. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest _Keep your distance, and no sudden moves_. The Big Daddy had only realised they were there, it moved infront of Debbie and motioned for them to move on.

Debbie looked confused as to why Tenenbaum was standing so far away and why Big Daddy was being so rude "Don't be a meanie Mr B!" she hit it's arm.

The Big Daddy groaned then looked at Debbie. She shook her head "No Mr Bubbles its alright. This is Mama Tenenbaum and her friend, they looked after me when you were hurt. They're friends".

Amazingly the Big Daddy relaxed and stepped to the side. Phillip's jaw hanged loosely in the air. _Incredible_ Tenenbaum thought _They can understand each other, their bond has gone beyond anything predicted_.

Another thought crossed her mind "Debbie" she said softly "Can you ask Mr Bubbles where the other little ones are?"

Debbie nodded. "Good. Can you tell him to take us there?".

"Sure thing" Debbie had a big smile "Mr B, can you take me to see another Sister?"

A long groaning sound and a shuffle of the feet was apparently a yes. Soon they were winding their way through corridors and staircases. Phillip wanted to keep his distance from the Big Daddy but didn't want to be to far behind Debbie.

A few minutes later the Big Daddy pointed across an empty landing to a vent on the other side.

"Mr Bubbles says a girl called Marsha sleeps there" Debbie said "A woman tried to take her a few days ago but Mr B stopped her."

Tenenbaum felt another chill _A mother wanting her daughter safe at home no doubt_. Phillip nudged her and jerked his head at the Big Daddy.

"Debbie, can you ask Mr Bubbles to wake up Marsh?"

Debbie nodded again and asked. The Big Daddy thumped over to the vent and knocked loudly. Tenenbaum could hear the girl stirring.

"Nice work doc!" a rasping voice called out "Now hand over the kiddies and no one gets hurt".

Tenenbaum whirled around to face several splicers. They weren't the worst she had seen but they were getting there. Scars were already forming on their faces and their eyes had a glassed look. Worst of all, she recognised them.

"Jenkins, Hughe, Louis and Tina" Tenenbaum said coldly "Suchong's team on the other side of Rapture. What would he say to that?"

Tina, long dark hair covered in grime and a dirty smock covering her body, laughed at her "Didn't hear did yer kraut! Suchong's dead. Big Daddy stabbed him into a desk".

Phillip raised his eyebrows "Well.... couldn't say he didn't deserve it" he whispered.

Tenenbaum shrugged "Regardless, you shouldn't be here. Obvious that this place is under going inspection by Ryan's men".

Louis, the larger of the men, gave a deep chuckle "So what you doing here doc?" he looked behind her at Debbie, the now awake Marsha, and a tense Big Daddy "Starting a choir?".

Tenenbaum just knew things. She knew when things were wrong and what things work. She knew the splicers were here for a fight. She knew she was quicker than Louis and Jenkins. That's why she leveled the revolver and shout Louis point blank in the head.

Tina screamed and charged her, knocking her over. Jenkins pounced at Phillip who caught him in the head with the back of his shotgun. Hughe had a total of thirty seconds to take aim before the Big Daddy rushed him.

The groaning turned to a roar and then Hughe was a blood smear in a cracked wall. Jenkins turned in horror before the drill smacked him in his face, throwing him across the room. It seemed the battle would be over in a few minutes, but optimism wasn't the best trait Tenenbaum had picked up.

There was a rustling of feet further down the hall. Soon Tenenbaum saw a rush of med-smocks and science coats. From what she could tell it was the remnants of Suhcong's team.

The Big Daddy roared again and charged the group. Phillip had pushed Debbie to the side, who in turn pulled Marsha into the shadows. Tina was now trying to scratch her eyes out.

"Fucking bitch!" she shrieked.

Tenenbaum stuggled and finally brought the revolver out from under her, bringing it across Tina's face. The woman shrieked but clung on, Tenenbaum smacked her over the head again finally dislodging her. Tina rolled away but sprang up quickly.

A screaming man was thrown over Tenenbaum into the vent with a sickening crack. Tina screamed and charged again, Tenenbaum backed up as much she could to the fight behind her and took a few shots at Tina, grazing her shoulder and a good hit in the leg.

Tina lunged regardless and Tenenbaum side-stepped her. Tina crashed head long into another splicer trying to get away from the Big Daddy. Tenenbaum ran forward and seized Tina by the hair. When she screamed Tenenbaum put the revolver in her mouth and pulled the trigger.

The dazed splicer tried to get up, but Tenenbaum brought her heel into his chest. He cried out but she silenced him quickly. Finally giving a proper look at the carnage, most of the splicers were dead and the Big Daddy was mopping up the ones that had moved back into the staircases.

"Debbie, dear one?" Tenenbaum called.

The girl stepped out with a tearful Marsha. "It's okay little one. Everything will be fine".

Tenenbaum turned round. Phillip wasn't there. "Phillip? Phillip?!" she shouted and ran to the bodies at the landing door.

Pushing the mangled corpses aside Tenenbaum only found Phillip's bloodied shotgun. _No.... another person I brought into this mess..._

Debbie's scream snapped Tenenbaum out of her short daze. Turning back she saw an injured Hughe trying to take Marsha while Debbie was pulling her the other way.

Tenenbaum grabbed the shotgun and aimed at Hughe "Let her go!! NOW!"

Hughe stopped and Debbie pulled Marsha away. Hughe's eyes showed how desperate he was, already he was tensing to make a move on Marsha.

"One question doc.... what's with the change of heart?" he sneered at her "You turned them into monsters, took them from their parents and watched as they harvested bodie without batting an eye-lid. So why now?"

Tenenbaum put her finger on the trigger and her shoulders tensed "Call it a moment of weakness"

Hughe lunged at the girls. Tenenbaum pulled the trigger.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"Marsha!" Debbie stamped her foot and tried to pull Marsha away from Tenenbaum's office.

"Let go Debbie! You want to know as much as I do! There's no harm in looking!" Marsha had grabbed Debbie's hand and pulled her a long.

Debbie suddenly look terrified "No no no! We'll get into trouble!"

"Mama Tenenbaum won't get mad if you won't tell!" with that Marsha released Debbie's hand and opened the door.

The office had become steadily messier over the weeks. As Tenenbaum worked over-time to bring in as many girls she could and make her offices into a safehouse. The bed and desk were still in same positions but the lamp was lying in pieces on the floor, audio-diaries were scattered around the place.

Marsha began sifting through them, looking at the dates for something significant. Debbie timidly followed behind her, glancing round as if Tenenbaum would appear suddenly and scold them.

"Debbie when did Mama Tenenbaum bring you here?" Marsha threw away another diary.

"Errrm..... a few weeks before we found you" Debbie walked over to the bed and sat on it. Eyes still casting round for a stern mother figure.

Marsha remembered that day very well. That nasty man had scratched her shoulder badly and the nice man with Mama Tenenbaum had gone missing in the fight. While Marsha was happy to have a home with Tenenbaum but it was also so sad to leave Mr Bubbles like that. Marsha had thought Mr B would get angry, but he didn't, he knew Tenenbaum was a nice lady.

Ever since then Marsha had wondered why Mama Tenenbaum didn't want them gathering ADAM anymore. She always changed the subject or sent Marsha to tidy up the place. Just then she found a diary labeled the week before Debbie was brought in.

She walked over to Debbie and placed the diary between them, then she hit play.

"I..... I don't know what I should be doing now. The New Year's attack has shaken everything.... everyone is starting to splice up and there just isn't enough ADAM to go round..... Suchong came to me today, told me his idea. Its so... apalling, haven't we done enough to these girls? Haven't I taken enough?! But then Suchong goes to Ryan...... and aparently there is still more to take.... mein gott.... can't we just leave them be now?"

Debbie and Marsha looked confused "Did Mama Tenenbaum do something bad?"

Marsha shrugged "Maybe she didn't want us out there in the first place". She tossed the recording back onto the floor and picked up another one.

"Phillip came to me today, shouting his head off about Suchong's proposal to 'increase yields'. He say to me 'Have you nothing left of human in you?!'. And first time in months I'am speechless. Phillip was always so quiet in the labs but he was a good worker, the only one who stayed with me when Suchong moved his equipment. He wasn't happy about what we did to the girls.... but he stayed and took care of them.... perhaps that's why he changed so suddenly. Here we can keep them safe.... out there, they have bullseye on the back of their heads".

Marsha rumaged through some more recordings. It was true, Debbie and Marsha both knew that some of the other girls were taken by the bad men. They knew it from the Big Daddies walking around aimlessly, following them even when they were with Mr Bubbles just in case something happened. Marsha suddenly sat upright.

Debbie tried to peer over her shoulder "What is it?"

Marsah turned to face her "This one's got your name on it"

Debbie looked surprised. "Play it".

"Today I saw one of the girls for the first time in weeks... unfortunately it was under horrible circumstances. A man who was clearly spliced up so badly he couldn't remember his name had blown a steam pipe, it caught the Big Daddy unawre but it had enough strength left to drill the man into the ground. The little girl ran to the thing's side crying for him to get better..... everyone just walks on by.... no one cares.... I know there is nothing I can, or rather should do, I should walk on..... then I go over to her, ask her name, she looks up at me with a tearful face and says 'Debbie'. I tell it will all be fine, that she can stay with me. She shouts 'he's fine! He's fine!'. I tell her she will see him again when he's better. For the first time in years, I feel my heart break with the lie I told, and for what I reduced these girls to..... Debbie, brown hair, pink dress, pigtails,.... she was someone's daughter, a person's family. I will make things right for her".

Marsha looked up at Debbie, her face had become unreadable "She never wanted me to go back to Mr Bubbles...."

Marsha put her hand on her shoulder "She wanted you to be safe". Debbie sniffed and nodded, but pulled her legs up to her chest and shuffled across the bed.

Marsha picked up another recording.

"I heard that the other day a woman saw her child with a Big Daddy at Fontaine Fisheries...... the woman ran over screaming her daughter's name.... the Big Daddy reacted. The woman is alive but not for much longer, injuries too severe, her husband brought her back to Fighting McDonagh's..... more casualties for me to mark off. The Little Sister involved was re-located to an apartment block, even more bad news as Suchong finds out I have taken Debbie. Little bastard called me up saying the girl is Rapture's property and has to go back on to the circuit..... I tell him that I've been working on new tonic that increases strength and durability, so the girls would be virtually invincible and could stay out longer..... Suchong says he wants details. Phillip will work up something tonight to keep the bastard busy while I try to restore Debbie. I ask Suchong about the incident with the woman.... he says it was her fault, no remorse in voice..... how could I have worked with him?".

Something about the recording made Marsha uneasy. It was as if she could hear that woman calling, across the fishing dock. She shrugged and moved on to the last recording from about three days ago.

"Debbie and Marsha are doing fine. I don't think they remember much about being Little Sisters except for their Big Daddies and the places of Rapture they 'patroled'..... no word from Phillip since attack. I don't know why I'm being so stupid, keep on expecting him to walk through those doors and yell at me for some moral mistake or make fun of my change in attitude. He's most likely dead..... but I can't accept that.......... no, I must continue. The Big Daddy from Sapphire Sights has proved to be extremely helpful. I don't know how but its developed a stronger bond with its girls then any other, as far as I can tell anyway. I had Debbie ask it to show me to the other girls, so far I have brought back seven of them. This Big Daddy..... it seems to know that I'm helping them..... perhaps it is just it's innate ability to do what is best for the Little Sisters, or it has developed its own thoughts on right and wrong. After all..... they were people too."

The office door slid back. Debbie leapt off the bed and stumbled about trying to stand upright. Tenenbaum raised her eyebrows, it didn't take a genius to figure out what they had been doing.

"See! I told you Mama Tenenbaum, they've been snooping" a blonde cried triumphantly as she tugged on her dress.

"Indeed they have Betsy, when I told them not to go in here without my say so" Tenenbaum said sternly. She looked at the girls who kept their faces down in shame.

Tenenbaum's hard face softened "Its late so I will be easy on you. Clean out the vents, make the beds on the downstairs level and put away the toys" Marsha was about to protest when Tenenbaum raised her hand "No excuses".

Debbie and Marsha walked off in a sulk and Betsy skipped happily behind them.

"Snitch"

"Snoop!"

"_Enough!" Tenenbaums shouted and the girls ran to their seperate duties._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Rapture had deteriorated much faster then Tenenbaum anticipated. With the majority of the population spliced up and attacking everything else the whole city was a battle ground. The splicers had now formed distinct groups, concentrating in several apartments and a few vital parts of the city like Hephaestus. Others just roamed around in pairs or by themselves.

From Tenenbaum could tell 50 un-spliced people had managed to barricade themselves in Fortuna, a club/casino district set up to rival Fort Frolic. With her safehouse bordering several transits and apartment blocks she could just about locate these people on the wireless. They had turned over the Little Sisters in the area in return for medical supplies and updates on splicer groups.

Tenenbaum huffed as she paced her office _Even now these idiots are still out for themselves_. It annoyed her that these people were hesitant to help, understandable but not acceptable.

This group's leader was called Mihkiel, a former Russian spy. How he got out of that job is probably how he survived Rapture's fall, the splicers and is currently holding an entire sub section. From what she could tell Mihkiel was a decent man but cunning and wouldn't think twice about selling out Tenenbaum if it meant his people could get out of the city. Despite the help she provided Mihkiel was still suspicious.

_Can I blame him for that? After all..... you could say I'am totally responsible for all this, since I introduced ADAM._ Tenenbaum slumped into her chair then lit a cigarette.

As if on cue, just as Tenenbaum finds some peace of mind, the wireless starts blaring out. Starting from the chair she scrambled a long the desk for it. Papers and diaries were knocked off and clattered to the floor.

"Hello? Hello?" she spoke into a small microphone attached to the wireless.

".... Bridge?"

Tenenbaum felt her chest tighten. The blood from her face drained and suddenly she felt dizzy. She sat down, placed the microphone in front of her, then sat back. She regarded it a few more seconds, as if assesing how real it was.

"Phillip?" she muttered.

"YES! Yes its me!!" he shouted hysterically down the wireless. "Bridgette I'm alive! And I've found people who are still alive!"

"Really?" her voice was emotionless.

"Yes! But we need help" Phillip's voice changed from elation to a sombre tone "You see we've been roaming round Rapture for a while, picking up other wanderers and the homeless. It worked for a while, but now everyone else has boarded themselves up and those bloody splicers are carrying out hit and runs".

Tenenbaum's face remained impassive.

"Coz they're all hold up in warehouses, labs and apartments armed to the teeth with traps everywhere... we can't fight back effectively" he now sounded like a beggar "But you've got your place all hidden, with its own traps and locks. Please Bridge, these people are dying out here and your place is the safest one closest".

Tenenbaum stood up. She put her hands on her head and gave a tired sigh. She started walking round the desk with her hands still on her head. The tension could be felt through the wireless.

He's alive. I should estatic, over-joyed. He's found other survivors..... but then again... I was never an optimist...

"Phillip?"

"Yes?"

"Why now?"

Silence. The replacement lamp (courtesy of Mihkiel) flickered.

"What?" Phillip's voice was now strained.

"Its been months..... _months_! And suddenly out of the blue you call, proclaiming your vitality and how you have miraculously found all these survivors. And it just so happens you are close, under splicer attack, needing a place to stay" Tenenbaum's voice was cold.

"The city's a wreck now, finding a transmitting wireless is like-"

"Something a person like you could make from scrap with both hands tied behind his back!" She spat "Logically, there's only one way you could have survived at Sapphire Sights... and that's by splicing".

"Bridge please-"

"So the group of people you are with are survivors, but splicers I'm assuming, rogues you've gathered from around Rapture. The actual problem is another splicer group has you on the run which means you need a place to fall back to".

Tenenbaum could feel Phillip's guilt, and rising anger from the wireless.

"And from the fall-back you can fight more eqaully and perhaps drive them back" Tenenbaum paused as a sick revelation came over her "And of course this is where a large chunk of the ADAM passes through".

"Its not the ADAM" he suddenly said "Its the tonic".

Tenenbaum now remained silent.

"The tonic can save us..... it purged the ADAM from the Little Sisters it can do the same for us. The people with me want to be normal again..... _I_ want to be normal again!".

Tenenbaum sighed "Its far to late for that now Phil. The ADAM in your body, and the bodies of the other splicers is at a low point. Just enough to keep the bare minimum of you powers going. That's why there is so much degrading going on, lack of ADAM. Its not the amount of it that is the problem it is the lack of it, without regular and increasing amounts your bodies can't keep going".

"You can make i work!" he shouted.

"No. I can't" Tenenbaum's face hid the pain she was feeling.

"This.... this isn't over" the conversation ended with the click of the wireless.

Tenenbaum went to light her cigarette. Her hand shook. Then she threw it to the ground, threw the lamp into the wall, flipped her desk over and screamed.

She slumped against the wall facing he door. In the glass she could see the huddled form of the girls, crowding just outside the door. They were whispering, wondering if they should go in and check on her.

Tenenbaum put her hands on her face, and cried. _Everything I've touched. Every single thing has been perverted or suffered horribly_. She didn't know how long she cried.

"Mama Tenenbaum?"

She looked up. Betsy and Debbie had peaked through the door "What's wrong?".

She sniffed and smiled "Nothing I can't handle"

The girls looked at each other. They ran over and hugged her. They both held her so tightly it was difficult to breather for a couple minutes.

"Nothing _we_ can't handle Mama" Debbie said, nuzzling into her side.

Again. Tenenbaum cried. But this time it was for a good reason. It was for the realisation that she had a family in this horrible place while it twisted everything else. And a family was something to fight for. No matter what the threat was.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

"Dammit Mihkiel!" Tenenbaum shouted at the cloaked man starring at her from the door.

"Sorry Tenenbaum, but I can't take the risk" he said in a thick Russian accent.

"These are children! Children you helped! And now you send them back to die?" she was shaking from anger.

Following Phillip's threat, Tenenbaum had worked for almost 24 hours straight improving the traps around her safehouse and limiting the access. She had taught the girls the vent system so they could escape if Phillip found a way in. The place they were suppose to go to was Fortuna.

Mihkiel shuffled uncomfortably "If what you say is true then I would be making myself and all the innocents here targets as well."

Tenenbaum shook her head in disgust "Phillip wants me! He knows the girls don't have any ADAM now, he's uninterested in them."

"I still think-"

"Just consider?" Tenenbaum pleaded "You are protecting your family, but what about mine?".

Mihkiel was silent. He made no move to open the bulkhead but he didn't close the shutter either.

"Give me a few hours to talk it over with the others..... if everyone agrees then they come here" he said gruffly.

Tenenbaum sighed happily "Thank you".

She turned back and opened the bulkhead back to Mercury Way, a small transit station Tenenbaum had cleared out and now used to get around Rapture virtually undetected. The transit line covered the south complex and used to have a walkway going straight to Hephaestus until Ryan had it blown up. Without a transit Tenenbaum wasn't the fastest mover, but who would consider that she would be walking through half-rusted abandoned tunnels?

Sealing the bulkhead Tenenbaum reached into her handbag and pulled a flash light. The rail tunnel had seen better days. There were dozens of leaks and drips from the roof, and as this route trailed under Arcadia moss had grown in the damp patches.

_Three days since Phillip's ominus threat_ she thought while walking back home _If he had a direct path he would take it, maybe he is assesing the safehouse..... trying to guess the defenses I put up._

Considering possible weak points and several more trap placements consumed Tenenbaum's thoughts until she reached the hub of Mecury Way.

She slipped the flash light back into her handbag and walked over to the vent by the boarded up entrance. She removed her shoes, then climbed into the vent. The girl who use to be here (Elle, Betsy found her wandering around the transit crying for her Big Daddy) had taught Tenenbaum to unlock the steps on the vent.

Turns out Suchong had them installed so a med team could easily climb in to perform a check up. Elle was apparently the Little Sister present for Suchong's end, and the only person left to learn how to use the step system.

As if by magic the steps shot out of the vent wall allowing Tenenbaum to climb down. Reaching the bottom she turned off the system, no sense in sharing the secret. It took her a few more minutes to crawl through the vents and back to her home. Climbing another vent Tenenbaum came out a few streets away.

"Cute trick doctor"

She pulled her revolver out then shot directly behind her. A man in his earlier thirties jumped and shouted in surprise.

"Jesus woman! What's wrong with cher?" his Irish accent became apparent.

Keeping her aim on his head, Tenenbaum assesed the man. He wasn't a splicer, clothes were normal and had no visible weapons. He had brown hair and was a medium build. As he stepped forward cautiously feint surgery scars showed across his face.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she asked coldly.

The man sighed and raised his hands "Was hoping introductions would go better but.... hell can't see a better way to say it. Me name is Atlas".

It took every ounce of self-control Tenenbaum had not to pull the trigger. Atlas had pretty much provoked Ryan at New Year's, he had spliced up so many people, and when everything finally went to hell Atlas disappeared.

"I can tell by the gun shaking you're.... familiar with me?" he gave a nervous smile.

"You... you bastard!" she shouted and took a shot at his feet.

"Eh! Easy now!" he cried "I know.... I fucked things up, royally but Ryan was out of control".

"So what?! One day you think I'll start a war and splice up so many people that half city becomes deranged in a few months?!" With great effort Tenenbaum lowered her gun.

Atlas looked at her, she could see the guilt in his eyes and the pain he felt.

"I know..... I didn't think my people would become so... inhuman. I did try you know. I tried to stop everyone splicing, when that happened my men turned on me. Most of them anyway" his voice became broken.

"I've only got a dozen or so people with me now doctor. And way's I see it now is those of us still human... need to stick together" Atlas gave another smile, more genuinely this time.

Tenenbaum's heart was beating hard against her chest. _This man is responsible for so many horrible things.... but so am I_.

She shook her head to gain some clear thoughts "How did you find me?".

"Someone was going to notice a cleared transit line sooner or later. As it happens I was doing some recon in Arcadia, checking out those Saturnine freaks, I was over the walkway when I saw you through cracks in the floor".

She nodded, still fighting the urge to beat them man to death with her hands. They stared at each other for a few more minutes. His face still had some innocence to it, amazing in this place now, and it was as if he was silently pleading to her to listen.

"I checked out the local area, took a few guesses at which points you would come out. This place was number three..... and I couldn't help but notice a large group of splicers prowling nearby" he gave her a knowing look.

_What? I'm suppose to trust a man who lead so many people to damnation? _Tenenbaum said to herself, still regarding Atlas coldly.

He sighed in defeat "Didn't expect to win you over first time love. But its obvious to any body you need help right now" he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her.

She took it, on the paper was a frequency number "So if I find myself as he damsel in distress?" she said skepticaly.

"Or if you want to talk" Atlas turned round and began walking away from her. "You see love, I'm probably the only other person who knows exactly what you've been going through...... I started this whole mess and destroyed so many lives... and personally I needed someone who could understand".

Tenenbaum kept her face a stone cold mask of suspicion while inside she was in turmoil. Atlas was right, he had started this with the best intentions which was more than she could say. Folding the paper and putting it in her handbag Tenenbaum walked back to the safehouse doing her best not to let out any emotions.

All the while, a scarred barely recognisable man watched Tenenbaum make her winding path back home. Phillip scuffed the ground with his shoe and stepped out of the abandoned shop Atlas and Tenenbaum had talked in front of.

An equally grotesque woman stepped out to his left, glaring at the path Atlas walked down. She coiled ready to sprint after him and smash his head in.

Phillip turned round and placed his hand on her shoulder "Easy Diane.... not now, in the open he'd be expecting and attack."

"I want that lying bastard! If not now when?!" she snarled.

Phillip smiled with disturbing confidence "When both of them have a moment of weakness.... that moment where they let their guard down...... when they become vunerable..... that precise moment is when we'll kill them".


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Debbie skipped around the corner of Sapphire Sights, carrying a small bundel filled with spare parts and snack foods. Mama Tenenbaum had been very reluctant to send any of the girls out, but something happened that cut off supplies they would get from Mihkiel.

Betsy had told her that the transit Tenenbaum discovered had been wrecked cutting off the quickest route to Mihkiel. Tenenbaum had smiled and said it was a small collapse. Debbie however, thought it had something to do with all the splicers around. Far more then there was before.

A low moaning sound caught Debbie's attention. Turning around she saw Mr Bubbles looming out of an alcove.

"Mr B" Debbie called cheerfully and ran over to hug him.

Mr Bubbles stroked her hair with its good hand. Another groan made Debbie back away and give him a confused look.

"That can't be right Mr Bubbles. Mama Tenenbaum wouldn't seal the vent system, its how we get straight back to the house"

The groaning became more high pitched and Bubbles stomped his foot. Debbie shook her head.

"No Mr B. I can't stay with you, I have to get back to Mama Tenenbaum" she pouted and stood defiantly. She knew Bubbles would give in, he always did.

Its slumped in defeat then started walking in front of her, leading the way back to the safehouse. Debbie tailed behind but stayed close like in the old days. Despite everything Mama Tenenbaum had given her Debbie still missed Bubbles and their time together.

It was an odd scene, an eye-saw of a creature escorting a little girl glancing happily around at a nightmare of a city. Debbie knew nothing would happen to her as long as Mr B was there.

They walked for a while until they came to the bulkhead of Mercury Way, from there Debbie could crawl through the regular vents in the city most of which had fallen out of use.

Debbie stood there waiting for Bubbles to open the door. He didn't. In fact he shoved Debbie back into a corner and stood defensively infront of her.

The door opened and a dozen or so splicers stepped out. All of them grotesque and insane. All of them looking ready to kill. Debbie pressed herself against the wall as if trying to force herself through it.

Bubbles let out a loud roar making the group back away. Then a man stepped forwar wearing familiar blue troussers.

"Hello Debbie" Phillip said, his cracked face breaking into a madden smile "You remember old Uncle Phil don't you?".

Debbie nodded slowly. The nice man who had disappeared after they brought Marsha back home. Mama Tenenbaum said he died.

"I just want to talk little Debbie" he took a step closer.

Mr Bubbles gave a low grumble, the yellow lights turning red as he shifted his feet preparing to charge.

Phillip eyed the Big Daddy warily whilst cocking his own gun. Debbie was terrified and confused. Phillip had been so nice, was Mama Tenenbaum's friend, but now he was a..... a... a bad man.

"C'mon Debbie. You could get hurt out here" Phillip said like a concerned father "Let me and my friends take you back home. We can catch up with and then I can talk with Bridgette".

Bubbles faced Debbie, waiting on her decision. The little girl had no idea that a mere nod would make Mr Bubbles move away or rip the splicers apart. What she did know however, was when to spot a bad man.

Debbie stepped forward a bit, timid yet held a confident stand "I-I don't talk to _bad men_!" she shouted.

It was all Bubbles needed. Roaring he charged directly for Phillip, but jumped letting his men be smashed apart by the Big Daddy. There were yells of anger and pain. Debbie dropped her bundel and ran for a hiding place.

Mr Bubbles roared as the splicers tried to bring him down. Shots grazed his arms and legs in a vain attempt to cripple him. Bubbles swung his drill around scattering body parts everywhere. A splicer jumped onto his back and started hammering away at his head with a pipe.

Debbie was Bubbles groaned in pain. A mistake as Phillip appeared from the shadows and siezed her by the arm.

"NO!" she screamed and clawed at his hand, arm, face. Anything close and vunerable she attacked.

"You little bitch!" he snarled as she raked her fingers across his face.

Bubbles threw the splicer of his back into a wall. He grabbed another with his good hand then slammed his head into the ground. Hearing Debbie scream he charged again. This time the remaining splicers struck as one, a hail of bullets forcing the Big Daddy to stop in its tracks.

"LET GO!!" Debbie shreiked as Phillip tried to pick her up. As soon as she was face level she bit his cheek, teeth clamping down hard.

"ARRRGH!" he shouted and threw Debbie into a wall.

Pain numbed her body from the impact. For a minute she couldn't move. When her eyes opened Phillip was standing over her with murder in his eyes.

"You fucking little freak" he hissed and raised his gun.

Debbie whimpered.

Then ear shattering roar erupted from behind. Mr Bubbles charged at full might regardless of wounds, straight for Phillip. His remaining men where either trampled a flung into the air. Shouting in distress he tried to run.

The Big Daddy was on him in seconds. He picked Phillip up, raising him above his head and brought the drill to the side about to impale him. Phillip threw his hand in the way, stopping the drill from piercing his chest.

Screaming in a mixture of pain and frustration Phillip shoved his gun through the bars on Mr Bubbles' head and shot as many times as he could. Groaning Bubbles flund him away and put his hand to his head where a trickle of blood poured from between the lights.

Debbie was trying to crawl away through the fallen beams of the apartment block. Phillip lunged across the floor after her, grabbing her ankle in a vice like grip.

Bubbles launched himself again, bringing his drill down smashing through the beams. But their fight had lead to the balcony overlooking the center of the apartments. The weight and force of Mr Bubbles drill demolished the balcony.

Debbie, Phillip and Bubbles all shouted in vain as the tumbled through the balcony and the seemingly endless axis of the building.

Searing pain was the first sensation. It was soon followed by aches and samller pains through out the body. Debbie felt broken bits of floor, plaster and wood piled on top of her.

She laid there for a while. Then gathering what strength she could she forced herself up. Her dress was torn in places, the skirt was now a patchwork of rips and dirt. The left sleeve was gone completely and her shoulder supported a large gash.

Looking around she saw they had fallen through several more floors. The entire area was covered in debris.

Pulling herself out from under the wreckage, Debbie stood up shaking from pain and shock.

A low moaning sound caught her attention. Turning she saw Bubbles lying sideways not far from her. Several jagged pieces of wood sticking out from his side.

"MR BUBBLES NO!" she screamed and ran over. She tried to pull the bits of wood out, she tried to stop the blood flowing from his wounds.

"Get up! Get up!" she sobbed.

Mr Bubbles brought his good hand out and pulled her close to his face. Crying she put her hands through the bars and stroked the face of her old protector.

He gave a soft moaning sound, not of pain or sadness, but content at being with his Little Sister. He stroked her hair once more as she pressed up against him.

"Oh.... Mr B..." she cried. His hand gave push, moving her to face him.

His hand moved across Debbie's face, wiping away the tears and dirt. Then he just held her face as a father does when looking proudly on his child.

"Debbbbie" Bubbles moaned softly. Then the lights went out. His hand fell away.

Debbie stumbled back and fell to the floor. Tears streamed down her face.

A large rustling sound from the wreckage forced her away from her grief. Phillip threw himself out of the debris a few feet away from her. His wounds and scars making his appearance that of a nightmare.

"Debbie!" he snarled and reached for her.

"NO!" she screamed. Staggering up she ran as fast as she could threw the corridors of Sappihre Sights. Followed by Phillips shouts and soon after his footsteps.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Tenebaum was pacing her office, a habit that the girls recognised as something troubling had occured.

_Its been half an hour_ Tenenbaum thought. _Betsy came back, Elle came back. Where is Debbie?_.

The very minute Debbie had been late Tenenbaum knew, deep down that what she feared te most had happened. Phillip got tired of waiting.

Furiously lighting a cigarette Tenenbaum pulled on her trench coat, grabbed her handbag and opened the office doors. All the girls looked up at her immediately stopping what they were doing.

Marsha stepped forward, or rather pushed by Betsy and Elle. Sheepishly she looked up at Tenenbaum.

"Are you going to look for Debbie Mama?"

Tenenbaum crouched down and hugged her "Yes little one. Tell all the other girls I shall be gone for a while. You know what to do until I get back".

Tenenbaum stood up as Marsha dutifully walked around telling all the girls. Betsy ran upstairs to unlock the main door and set the perimeter alarm. Elle however just stood there, calmly regarding Tenenbaum.

Elle was odd. Even for a Little sister. She never acted like the others, she was always more mature but also more reclusive. She rarely spoke but Tenenbaum could feel that girl wanted to be in a family. And like her, Elle was very protective.

Tenenbaum looked at her a moment longer, then walked to the stairs. Elle followed closely behind.

Stopping Tenenbaum turned around "Where are you going?".

"With you". Elle said it so casually, as if the matter had been discussed and decided ages ago.

"No you are staying here where it is safe" Tenenbaum said sternly.

Elle looked around the safehouse, then shook her head "No. I want to help".

_So young to be acting so old in her ways_ "Elle, please do-"

"I know where the bad men are" she suddenly said.

Tenenbaum just gaped at her. "How?!" she demanded.

Elle shrugged again "In the last few days I saw the bad men lurking around all the places the vents lead to. I thought the would try and take one of us. I knew you would want to rescue us, so I followed one back to where they were staying".

Tenenbaum raised her eyebrows "That was very dangerous. You could have been taken or worse!".

Elle nodded "It was a risk".

Tenenbaum shook her head in confusion, and though it shamed her, aprehension of Elle. She was so different, so off-putting. Tenebaum had expected some kind of trauma with the girls but never did she expect one to be so accepting.

Elle was still standing there as if Tenenbaum was the hold up. Taking a deep breath she motioned her to follow. It a few seconds they were walking out of the safehouse and through a transit line.

"Where are the bad men?".

Elle took the lead and crawled through a vent on the right. Tenenbaum followed. They crawled for about ten minutes before Elle took her back to the streets. Tenenbaum recognised the area as Juno's Lane. Back in the day it was a posh section where the high and mighty would take time to stroll and relax. The are had bulkhead connecting it to Mercury Way.

Elle pointed to a dillapted hotel name 'Venerated Venus'. Half the sign was gone but the statue was still there. It was suppose to be Venus but someone had scratched up the face.

"I stayed for a bit and saw the same splicers go in and out a few times. Everytime they did a complicated knock. Then I saw Phillip" Elle said.

Tenenbaum felt her chest tighten again. Elle had probably heard about him from the other girls and knew enough to match the descriptions. However Tenenbaum couldn't help but feel she failed to protect her from the truth.

"Evening ladies"

Tenenbaum reacted. Pistol drawn she took a shot at the speaker.

"Damn it woman!" Atlas hissed "I beginning to think you don't like me".

Just like last time Atlas had appeared from the side of the street right behing her. Tenenbaum almost regretted being a poor aim.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tenenbaum asked coldly.

Atlas rolled his eyes "A group of splicers, a paticularly large group, made their were from that hotel through Mercury Way. Thought they were bringing in something valuable" he eyed Elle "or maybe valuable to someone in paticular".

Tenenbaum stepped in front of Elle "Anything else?".

"Jesus! I can put two and two together! You think they took one of your girls and now you're going in to find out" Atlas moved forward "You're not the kind of lass to risk another child, so why not let me come with you?".

Tenenbaum tried not to laugh "Really? How noble of you..... but you are right." She turned to Elle "I want you to hide this time and wait for me and Mr Atlas to come back ok?".

Elle nodded then walked off. Atlas raised his eyebrows "Ain't you gonna check she will be safe?".

Tenenbaum shrugged "Its what she does best." She started towards the hotel.

Atlas came up close to her left. There were about five floors to the building, there were splicers keeping watch from the third row of windows. Tenenbaum knew Phillip well enough that he would have place most of them in the middle floors. If there was an attack, they could retreat higher, plus they could lay traps across the bottom floors.

They crouched low next to a destroyed shop. The light from the flickering sign showed Atlas' scars again.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happend to your face?"

He looked shocked "How did you know?"

"Cosmetics was the very first thing ADAM allowed us to... perfect. Most people wouldn't notice the scars but I've seen plenty of people to recognise face surgery".

Atlas suddenly looked sadden. "One of my guys, or rather girls, turned on me when she spliced up too much. Her name is Diane. And she is in there." He jerked his head at the hotel.

Tenenbaum cocked her eyebrow "So this is a revenger thing?".

Atlas shrugged "If you like. Lets just say she knows things that could be harmful to what's left of me crew".

_Or maybe something harmful to you_ Tenenbaum thought. She pushed the idea aside. If they were to pull this off she couldn't doub Atlas, at least not now. She loaded her revolver.

"Lets go".


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Tenenbaum was not much physically, espicially compared to a full blown splicer. But one thing had always remained in her favour. Her ability to survive and think. A head on strike would be stupid, Phillip would have some one on the back, but there was nothing stopping her going in from the side.

She stayed close to the abandoned shops, Atlas right by her side. They had a clear view of the splicer at the door and a few more in the second row windows. They edged round until the splicers were in the corners of their eyes.

Tenenbaum nodded at the side window. Boarded up with large nails driven in from either side. Atlas looked at the window and turned back shaking his head.

"Don't be daft, the effort to take out that window would bring the whole lot down on you" he whispered.

Tenenbaum dug around in her handbag and brought out a remote. Nothing fancy, just a black box with a red button.

"This will activate the security drones in the area, they will remain active for three minutes. The draw back is it also trips the safe-guard systems so the the drones will shoot at anything in range" Tenenbaum crouched down and motioned Atlas to do the same.

"Great. Way to make a guy feel confident" Atlas mumbled.

Tenebaum didn't listen "On three..... one.... two..... three!"

She pressed the button, and almost immediately the alarms went off and about a dozen security bots could be heard whirring their way to their position. Splicers in the hotel began shouting at each other, thinking a rival group was on the way. As the two at the door turned inside, Tenenbaum chucked the remote to the side of the Venus statue.

"Move!" she said and ran to the window. Atlas took after her, but the drones had homed in on the remote and had begun shooting the two guards. One sighted Atlas and forced him back to the corner.

A splicer manage to shout to his friends before a bullet went straight through his head. The other had been dragged inside barely alive. Tenenbaum was hitting at the nails and pulling at the planks as she heard the security bots' dogfight with the splicers on the second floor now.

She turned and saw Atlas was still pinned by that drone. He had retreated into the shop and was taking shots through the gaps in the boards.

"GO ON LOVE" he shouted over the din of screams and explosions.

Tenenbaum had wrested off another plank when she heard a loud explosion from the front of the house. She could make out several splicers on the ground floor hiding at the door frames. She decided against taking off another plank and did her best to crawl through the gap.

One of the nails caught her shoulder but other Tenenbaum was fine on entering. She remained on the floor and crawled over to the sofa. A drone crashed through a window in the opposite room surprising the splicer there. It gunned him down before he got a shot off at the rota. Tenenbaum saw a red haze then a woman appeared at the door infront of her and hit the drone with a fireball which then exploded.

Tenenbaum stood up slowly, the splicer had jumped back into the room as another drone took a few shots. Tenenbaum rushed her, pushing her back into he line of fire. She gave a shriek before several bullets tore through her legs and left arm. Tenenbaum smacked her over the head with her gun, then made a brake for the stairs.

It was much louder up there as several security bots had made it in and the splicers were tearing the place apart to get rid of them. Two thugs had retreated back to the landing and saw Tenenbaum. She leveled her revolver and shot the first guy in the chest. The other rushed her, swinging blindly and shouting abuse. She dodged and kicked him in the shin and he fell down the stairs with a sickening crack at the end.

Another explosion sounded from her right and was followed by several screams of pain. Tenebaum went for the door the thugs came through and saw the remains of two drones and at leats ten splicers.

Something grabbed her leg. She didn't have time to turn as a wrench hit her in the back.

"Arrrgh!" she cried and hit the floor as the splicer crawled along her, seizing her by the throat.

She was turned over as the splicer raised the wrench again. Tenenbaum caught it with her left hand, the other trying to pry off the one choking her. The man had a deranged murderous look in his eyes, it mad her wonder for a moment if Phillip had believed that all those with him wanted to change back.

Just then, when Tenenbaum was beginning to lose focus, the splicer's head popped open from shotgun fire. The wrench fell to the ground and the choking hand released her as the body slumped to the side. Tenenbaum sat up gasping and wiping the blood off her face to see Atlas at the door.

He'd been shot in the arm, had a few scratched but otherwise fine. Atlas walked over and helped her up, handing her a revolver.

"Thanks" she wheezed, still massaging her throat.

"No problem" he said with a stupid grin.

Tenenbaum walked over the door connecting to one of the front rooms, not looking to see if Atlas was following. Openning it she saw another three splicers dead and four wrecked drones. Just then the alarms stopped, to their left a few beat up security bots whirred out of the broken windows with another two flying out the front door.

_There goes our advantage_ she thought, then looked back at the bodies _But the odds seem to be a bit mor even_.

Atlas had walked down to the corridor to the next door putting his ear against it. "Sounds like our pals took a fair beating, I saw the rest downstairs in the kitchen licking their wounds. No sign of your girl though".

Tenenbaum nodded with a stony face, but inside she was breaking up _Could Phillip have already gone with Debbie to call me into the open?_.

Before she could decide on what to do next, there was a shout from behind. The last thing Tenenbaum remembered was a disgfigured woman aiming a grenade launcher.

Elle had gone to hide just like Mama Tenenbaum had told her. She didn't go to far, she went into the shop opposite from her and made her way to the second floor to watch.

Elle stayed perfectly still and impassive as the alarms went off and the security bots showed up and proceeded to kill everything in front of them. Elle sat there quietly looking out for Mama Tenenbaum and Mr Atlas. After a few minutes she saw them in the second floor windows.

Then she Mama Tenenbaum move suddenly to her left as a grenade hit the wall in between window frames. She heard a man shout but couldn't see anything through the dust. _She will be ok, she will be ok_ Elle kept telling herself.

As the dust settled Elle saw Mr Atlas on his knees with his hand behind his head, an ugly woman holding a weapon to him, and Mama Tenenbaum lying very still in between them. She must have been pretty close to the blast.

Then another thing caught Elle's attention. Going to the side window she saw Debbie, dirty, rippped dressed, crying and being dragged along by an equally wounded man who was snapping at her to shut up.

Elle realised this was Phillip, and that everyone had been captured, and that no real success had occured. She huffed to herself and turned away from the window back to the ruined shop. Elle walked over to the counter and removed the gun she found.

"Looks like I will have to do everything" Elle said as matter-of-fact way. She hummed to herlsef as she skipped down the stairs and planned how to kill Phillip and save her family. She looked as Phillip saw the damage done to his hideout before dragging Debbie kicking and screaming.

Elle cocked her gun and checked her ammo and nodded. "Let's go" she said to herself.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

_Get up!_

She thought. _Get. Up. Now!_

Again she tried to force her body to move. To raise her elbows for leverage, to raise her head or just to turn over. Pain was the only thing she had now to say she was alive.

Everything was still pretty muffled from the blast and her vision was blurred. Tenenbaum knew the woman was still there, and could make out a man kneeling in front of her. _Atlas_ the name ringed in her head.

She took slow breaths. Time seem to slow down as Tenenbaum focused on moving, ironcially, this sudden pause in life had been the only calm she had known for quite some time.

Slowly, she could make out the words being said around her.

"...... treachorous bastard........ if they knew...... how could...."

"..... you chose.... you killed..... you became..... who's the monster?".

Blinking as her vision cleared, Tenenbaum managed to raise her head slightly and see the suddenly relieved face of Atlas. The woman spat at her.

"Fucking kraut, makes a cocroach look like a fucking pansy" she snarled.

"Diane.... I presume" Tenenbaum mumbled.

"What's that kraut? Sounds like you got a sore throat" Diane walked to Tenenbaum's side, then viciously kicked her.

"Aggggh!" she cried out, then coughed violently.

"Heartless bitch!" Atlas shouted.

Diane rounded on him, bringing the back of her weapon across his face. There was a crack and he fell over spluttering blood. Diane's scared face broke into a demented smile.

She walked over and sat on Atlas' chest "Just repaying the favour.... _Atlas_".

Diane stood up again and walked back over to the door way, leveling the launcher to Tenebaum's head.

"Diane... please... where's Debbie?" Tenenbaum said as she struggled to turn around.

"One of your freaky brats? Phillip must have her. We were about to send some one out before your fucking bots blew us half to hell!" she snapped.

_All this.... for nothing_ Tenenbaum thought.

"Say kraut" Diane knelt down, her face no longer showing anger but a look of confusion and regret "Why bring _him_? He's responsible for all this you know. He started it. Why work together? What can you hope to achieve? Think you know better?".

There was something there. Something Diane had experience that mad her fear and loathe Atlase this way. Tenenbaum knew he wasn't some revolutionary hero, someone in Rapture going against would be just as self-involved. But Diane was broken. Tenenbaum finally pushed herself up so she could look at her eye to eye.

"I do what I have to" Tenenbaum said coldly.

Diane tilted her head "So do I".

"You said that to the people you've killed?"

Diane through her head back and laughed "Did you go around in those camps and say it? Did you walk the streets and justify yourself to all of Rapture?".

Tenenbaum remained silent. Atlas had gotten back up.

"Don't listen to her, she's a crazy slag!" he spat.

Diane hissed and stood back up aiming the weapon at Atlas. Then a child screaming up the stairs caught everyone's attention. Phillip stumbled into the room dragging Debbie in by the hair. Debbie saw Tenenbaum and ripped free of Phillip and ran to her side.

"Mama! Mama!" she cried and held tightly to her arm.

Tenenbaum did her best to cradle her, holding Phillip's gaze all the time. He was hurt, arm broken and cut. Nose broken, leg cut up and she could see the bone in his right hand. But it was the eyes that caught her. They were once so friendly, now there was an intense hate.

"So doc.... how about we have that little chat?" he limped over brandishing a mean look kinfe.

"I told you Phillip.... there's no way I can help you now. The degeneration is too severe" she said without any emotion.

"LIAR" he lunged, knocking Debbie out of the way and grabbing Tenenbaum by the throat.

"Please! NO!" Debbie cried out pulling at Phillip's leg.

Tenenbaum struggled against his grip "Phillip.... I'm sorr-"

"Don't!" he shouted, the madness surfacing in his eyes "Don't you dare! I believed and trusted you! I helped you at my expense! I gave up everything!!" he threw her back to the ground.

Debbie and Atlas moved over to her, Diane cocked the gun threateningly.

Tenenbaum felt numb now. Phillip, the usually quiet, always compassionate lab assistant was gone completely. Now this thing stood over her, hating her for giving him the same salvation she offered others.

"After everything.... you won't even try to save me?" Phillip said.

Tenenbaum shook her head sadly "What is there left to save?".

The madness returned to his face. He dropped the knife and turned to Diane and took the pistol hanging at her side. He stalked over and seized Debbie again.

"No please no!" Tenenbaum staggered forward trying to pull the sobbing girl back but Atlas held her in place.

"Debbie. Look at me" her tear stricken face stared up at his "Do you remember how you first came to _Mama_ Tenenbaum".

"I.... I..."

"I know you don't" Debbie's eyes went wide with fear as Phillip knelt down and took her face in his hands "You see Tenenbaum isn't even close to your real mother. Your real mother is probably dead".

Debbie cried out again, Tenenbaum's chest tightened "Phillip don't do this!".

"Tenenbaum is the reason you were taken from your family. The reason you first met Mr Bubbles and then couldn't see him again. She's the reason you were at the Home for the Little Sisters. You remember that don't you?" he said.

Debbie no longer sad. Her face was vacant as she slowly turned to face Tenenbaum.

"Mama? Its not true? You didn't mean for those people to hurt me?" she squeaked.

"Debbie please, I-I didn't think about consequences.... I didn't realise what had been done until-"

"Until my family was gone. Just like Mr B" Debbie sank to the floor, completely crushed.

Tenenbaum felt herself crumple. Phillip smiled coldly and leveled the gun to her head.

_BANG!_

Phillip blinked. Red soon bloomed in the middle of his shirt. He stared down in disbelief. Diane made a shocked strangled noise as she faced the door.

_BANG!BANG!_

Diane screamed out and dropped the launcher. She had been shot in the knees. Elle skipped forward to Phillip's side and tilted her head, regarding him calmly as he sank to his knees.

Atlas, also shocked helped Tenenbaum up. Elle looked over at them and smiled.

"Sorry it took so long Mama Tenenbaum" she looked down and saw her shoes and legs were covered in blood "Those men downstairs weren't very welcoming".

Tenenbaum just nodded. Atlas leaned her against the wall, picked up a piece of rubble then moved over to Diane. She screamed horribly as Altas finished what Elle started. Tenenbaum closed her eyes and blocked it out.

Elle tugged at her then pointed at Phillip who was still alive but was now lying on the ground clutching at his chest. Debbie just stood there looking impassive.

"Bridge..." he gurgled.

Debbie moved so quick that no one really saw it happen. She had the knife, she was on top of Phillip, then she cried as she brought down again and again.

Tenenbaum rushed over, Debbie thrashed against her, the knife caught the sides of her arms until she grabbed the girl's hand and forced her to drop it. Tenenbaum fell to the ground clutching her. Debbie cried so hard she was shaking.

Elle just walked over and knelt beside them. Atlas stood and made to go over, but Tenenbaum shook her head.

"Just go".

Atlas looked as if he were about to say something but just turned away and walked out of the room.

Tenenbaum just sat there for a while holding Debbie until she stopped crying. Elle hugged against her too. It was close to two hours before they mad it back to the safe house. The girls had huddled around everyone, some exclaimed at their injuries, others cried about their safe return. Elle remain her aloof non-chalant self, but Debbie was so different. She pushed past Betsy and Marsha and just sat on her bed.

Tenenbaum took a few minutes to settle the girls down before limping into her office. She sat back in her chair, reached into a drawer and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Lighting one she leaned back.

_We have been hunted. We have been wounded. We have been betrayed _ Tenenbaum thought. _But our family is still here. _


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

"As of today it has been a year since Fontaine died and Rapture's descent into chaos" Tenenbaum spoke into her recorder pacing the room.

"I've managed to re-establish links with Mihkiel whose group has grown to at least seventy people. Still a bit shaky on trusting me but alas, we're not in a perfect world. I have twenty girls with me.... twenty out of god knows how many little ones roaming this nightmare" she paused as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a fresh cigarette.

"Mihkiel won't send any of his people to rescue the girls. At best I can only bring back one at a time.... this is too slow. Ryan's hold up in Hephaestus, using some kind of pheremone control on splicers now. Most of them answer to him. I don't believe Ryan is insane, just desperately clinging to the rotting carcass that was his dream. But he doesn't see friends now, only parasites. And my girls are.... are a means to an end".

She turned off the recorder and went back to her desk. Tenenbaum was indecisive about what to do now. _Should I ask Atlas to help with the little ones? Or focus on getting the girls I have now out of here?_ It was easy to slip back into her cold realistic self. At the end of the day she was one woman in a city spanning a fair chunk of the Atlantic sea-bed.

The girls' laughter made Tenenbaum look up from her plans. She walked to the door and looked out at them. Betsy was helping Elle with a puzzle, Tina, Sarah and Joan were playing hopscotch. However Debbie caught Tenenbaum's eye, sitting silently on her bed just staring at the others. Marsha sat there too, stubbornly refusing to let Debbie isolate herself.

The girl had been quite reclusive since Tenenbaum brought her back from Phillip's hideout. Debbie barely looked at Tenenbaum unless she was giving out chores. She could feel that Debbie's view of her had changed. She was no longer _mama_, but a simple protector. Tenenbaum stared at Debbie a moment longer, then closed the door.

"She needs time" Tenenbaum told herself.

Turning back to her plans Tenenbaum thought the easiest way out would be by bathysphere. But Ryan restricted access to himself, or anyone with a similar genetic make-up. _If I had a sample of his blood_ she thought _I could make some sort of imprint, fool the system into thinking I'm Ryan and activate the bathyspheres!_.

"Elle" Tenenbaum called as she opened the door and swung on her coat.

The little girl appeared as if from no where "Yes Mama Tenenbaum?".

"I'm heading out. Usual measures after that door closes. You remember the code word?" Tenenbaum picked up her handbag and walked up the stairs.

"Family" Elle said.

"Good girl" Tenenbaum patted the girl on the head then opened the door.

After closing it there were a few faint clicks then a gentle humming sound letting Tenenbaum know the perimeter was still active. Picking her way carefully through the streets Tenenbaum started through Mercury Way. Her plan; get to the Medical Pavilion where there should still be a blood sample from Ryan in the records. It would take a bit of time, without bathyspheres she would have to pick her way through transit lines. The Swif-Runner line was her best bet, then through Neptune's Bounty.

"Mihkiel can you hear me?" she turned on her wireless.

"... Yes Tenenbaum loud and clear" he said gruffly.

"I think I have a way to get us out of here" Tenenbaum said with a smile.

Jack leaned against the wall. The fight with Steinman took a lot more out of him than he thought. He heard a skittering noise and quickly cocked his shotgun. Nothing. He groaned as he forced himself onwards. _The day had started off so well_ he thought bitterly.

"You okay there mate?" Atlas called from the radio at Jack's side.

"Yeah, just wandering through an underwater city filled with crazy mutant freaks with a whacko of a leader who think's I'm a government spy that has to be squashed." Jack mumbled.

Atlas laughed a bit "Don't worry. Once you get to Neptune's Bounty, it'll be sun and palm trees".

"Ha" Jack said.

He was nearing the way out of surgery when an explosion rocked the room next to him. Jack stumbled a bit and saw a charred Big Daddy hit the wall on the other side of the window. It was followed by scream.

Jack rushed to the door and saw one of the Little Sisters desperately crawling away from a splicer.

"Its just you, me and all the tasty ADAM I can-"

The splicer was shot in the shoulder, he shouted out half-turning before being shot in the head. Jack looked to the balcony were a woman in a trench coat was aiming at him with a pistol.

"Woah there!" Jack held his shotgun above his head.

"Stay away from her or it is you I will be shooting next!" she cocked the trigger.

"Easy doc" Atlas spoke up "He's just looking for a wee bit of ADAM. Just enough to get by".

The look on the woman's face became filled with cold hatred "I will not have him hurt my little ones!".

"Your.... you're Tenenbaum aren't you?" Jack said. From the diaries he'd found he expected Tenenbaum to look a little more... well... sinister.

"Not what you were expecting ey?" Tenenbaum eyed his gun then lowered hers "Please leave the girl alone".

"There not girls" Atlas protested "There not even human anymore".

Something made Jack turn away from Tenenbaum and advance on the girl, almost instinctual.

"Wait!" he faced her again "Have you no heart?"

"Pretty sentiment coming from the butcher who made them".

"There is another way!" Tenenbaum pleaded. She reached into her handbag and threw Jack a tonic "Release her from her torment".

Jack looked at the tonic. It wasn't labeled like the others, for all he knew it was poison.

"You won't last long without the ADAM that Sister can provide you" Atlas called out.

"If there is anyone to blame here its me! I did this to the girl, I brought this hell on us! If anyone should die in this moment it should be me!" Tenenbaum cried.

_I don't know what I should do_. He'd been up against enough splicers to realise he wasn't a physical match. He need more ADAM to be stronger, didn't he?

As if reading his mind Tenenbaum spoke out "Please. You know ADAM has destroyed this city. If you kill that girl you sign your own death warrant. The more ADAM you splice into you, the more of a chance you will go insane".

The girl was whimpering in a corner of the room now. Huddled against some cabinets.

Tenenbaum looked at the girl then looked by at Jack "She is a child. A person's family".

Jack looked at the girl. She had a pony tail, tattered dress, and a butterfly bracelet. Everything became clear. He injected himself with the tonic. There was no heady sensation as with the others. Just the feel of it pumping through his veins.

Jack walked over to the girl who shouted at him to leave her alone. He picked her up, but before she could fight back Jack put his hand on her face. It happened almost instantly. He saw the tonic pulse in his veins, spreading by contact into the girl. She lit up, and a moment later she looked perfectly normal.

"Thank you" the girl courtseyed a little than ran to the vent at the other side of the room.

"It is good to see there is still some good in this world" Tenenbaum said "But there are other little ones still out there. You could help them too, I would repay you for this".

Atlas clicked his tongue in disaproval. "Like you said doc.... she's just a child."

Tenenbaum nodded tearfully then walked away.

"I think you've made a big mistake. There are splicers which can tear you apart before you can blink" Atlas chided "Is your worth being weak?".

"Shut up Atlas" Jack moaned, reaching to turn off the wireless.

"Would you kindly..." Jack's hand stopped in mid-air "... get a move on down to Neptune's Bounty?".

Huffing Jack made his way, dutifully, towards the exit.

While Tenenbaum was concerned for the girl, beneath the tears layed anger. Atlas had proven her right. He was a vile oppurtunist and that man was key to something big, why else would Atlas want him strongly spliced up?

She waited until the man- Jack? – left. Tenenbaum made her way over to the vent to make sure if the girl had gotten through safely. Smiling she turned back and made her way to the medical records. Going over everything in her mind about what happened.

Tenenbaum would have to deal with Atlas at some point. Probably not as radically as Phillip, but Atlas could prove to be a threat. What was really troubling her was that man. Something about him made Tenenbaum uneasy where she had been decisive. She was ready to pull the trigger on him when he walked towards the girl, but she didn't.

"Not like you to be so passive doc" Atlas' voice cooed over the wireless.

_Damn! Left it on an open channel_. "We have nothing to say to each other!"

"Listen to me. That man is our way out! You must have seen that plane crash?"

"Are you saying.... he survived that?! And some how made it down here?" Tenenbaum said in a disbelieving tone.

"I don't question providence. I've lost more of my crew in the last few weeks, Jack is the only guy closest to Fontaine's old submarine bay. He can clear a way allowing us to get through" Atlas reasoned.

Tenenbaum scoffed "I doubt Peaches kept the sub in tip-top conditions, that's if its still there".

"Look doc.... I know you don't think very highly of me and for good reason. But I'm not about to leave you down here" he actually sounded genuine.

"What about my girls? Mihkiel? And who knows how many innocents still trapped down here?" Tenenbaum hissed. Then she found Ryan's medical records, including a small blood sample.

"Listen Tenenbaum" Atlas started.

"Forget it." She turned off the wireless and held the small genetic strip containing the blood between her finger and thumb "I have my own way".

She slipped the strip into her handbag. Making her way through the Pavilion, Tenenbaum couldn't help but wonder if she had made a mistake with Jack. Leaving him alive after being so close to killing a girl. He may think differently about sparing them when he meets stronger splicers. What happened with her could have been a moment of weakness, a small pang in the man's concsience. The same question kept popping up in her head. _Will my moment of weakness bring about a greater horror?_

Sighing, Tenenbaum shook her head. "No use in worrying now. I will have to wait and see."


End file.
